Sydney
UMR Index
Score: 61.8%
Sustainable Mobility
Score: 47.9%
Public Transit
Score: 62.3%
| Population | 4.9 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 2,178 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 2,257 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 47,438 |
What Sydney Does Well in Urban Mobility
Sydney possesses a fast, affordable, and diverse multimodal network, led by the city's fully automated Sydney Metro system, which opened in 2019. Sydney Metro is undergoing an expansion that will total 46 stations and 113 kilometers (70 miles) worth of new rail across four lines by 2030.
Sydney is home to a well-connected and maintained road network and robust traffic management system. Sydney’s intelligent traffic management system synchronizes traffic signals to optimize traffic flow, which has reduced travel time by 28% and emissions by 15%.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility and Public Transit scores
Challenges and Opportunities for Sydney’s Transportation System
City-wide challenges in active mobility infrastructure continue, with shortcomings in walkability, dedicated car-free zones, and cycling infrastructure. However, the city’s 2022-23 budget allocated more than US$43 million over the next four years to build cycling infrastructure. Sydney’s 2030 cycling plan aims for 10% of all trips to be made by bike. Sydney also is creating car-free space in the city center and aims to spend more than US$9 million each year to enhance and add new footpaths.
Sydney's airport has low international passenger volumes and relatively few connections, although some airlines added new routes in 2023, according to reports. The new Western Sydney Airport, set to open in 2026, is designed to accommodate 10 million passengers per year.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
How Sydney Can Improve Its Public Transportation and Sustainable Mobility
While Sydney has set a target of doubling the number of active mobility trips, like cycling and walking, over the next two decades, the city's cycling infrastructure still lags behind many of its peers. Previously mentioned improvements to Sydney's cycling infrastructure show progress, but further efforts would help meet the city's goal. Installing and maintaining dedicated bike lanes with safety dividers on main roadways would help increase cycling's modal share. Bikes are permitted on most forms of public transit; however, they are not allowed onboard buses due to space restrictions. Investing in a bus fleet with bike racks would help to integrate cycling (for first- and last-mile transit) with public transit even further. Lastly, supporting the expansion of existing bike-sharing services, like more stations, bikes, and e-bikes, would further encourage cycling adoption.
Currently, Sydney residents are often faced with long walks to metro stations or bus stops. The city is undergoing an extensive project to add three metro lines (for a total of four) to help alleviate this issue. Until this project is completed, the city can add bus routes and stops to help connect residents with the current and future metro lines — a cost effective improvement that would help to lower walking distances and overall commute times.